In standard aircraft cabin arrangements, if the first class seating (P class) is located at the front of the aircraft, passengers going to the business and economy seating classes often must walk through the first class section. Accordingly, a need exists for a seating arrangement where business class (J class) and economy class (Y class) passengers do not need to walk through the first class section to get to their seats.
SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an aircraft that includes a cabin that has a floor, side walls, a ceiling and an interior, a first class section positioned in the interior that includes a longitudinally extending first aisle extending therethrough, a first door positioned fore of the first class section, an economy class section positioned in the interior and aft of the first class section, and a longitudinally extending second aisle that extends parallel to the first aisle and that does not extend through the first class section. An economy class passenger that enters through the first door travels down the second aisle to enter the economy class section and never enters the first class section. In a preferred embodiment, the aircraft includes a longitudinally extending wall that extends from the floor to the ceiling and that separates the second aisle from the first class section. Preferably, the wall includes a vertically extending floor portion, an offset portion, and a vertically extending ceiling portion and the ceiling includes an oxygen mask compartment. Preferably, the floor portion of the longitudinally extending wall defines a first vertical plane and the ceiling portion defines a second vertical plane, and the first vertical plane extends through the oxygen mask compartment and the second vertical plane does not extend through the oxygen mask compartment.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided an aircraft that includes a cabin that has a floor, side walls, as ceiling and an interior, a first class section positioned in the interior that includes a longitudinally extending first aisle extending therethrough, as business class section positioned in the interior that includes a longitudinally extending second aisle extending therethrough that is parallel to the first aisle and does not extend through the first class section, a first door positioned fore of the first class section and the business class section, and an economy class section positioned in the interior and aft of the first class section and the business class section. A first class passenger that enters through the first door travels down the first aisle to enter the first class section. A business class passenger that enters through the first door travels down the second aisle to enter the business class section, and an economy class passenger that enters through the first door travels down the second aisle to enter the economy class section.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided an aircraft that includes a door through which passengers enter the aircraft, a secluded first class section, an economy class section positioned in the interior, and a grand entrance positioned between the door and the first class section. The grand entrance includes a frame and a vestibule that comprises a walkway defined by opposing walls, and wherein one or both of the frame and the opposing walls include decorative functional elements thereon.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a separation between two sections of an aircraft cabin so that passengers in the preferred section are never disturbed by the remainder of the passengers on the aircraft. In other words, the first class section is arranged within the layout of the cabin such that during normal flights, business and economy class passengers (except for in the case of an emergency) do not have a need or reason to pass through the first class section at any time. It allows the first class section to be configured such that boarding passengers, unless allocated as seat in this section, never enter it. It allows the aforementioned circumstances to be maintained regardless of which door on the aircraft any of the classes boards from (assuming that passengers board on the left hand or port side of the aircraft only). Accordingly, whether passengers enter toward the front of the aircraft or from the rear of the aircraft, non-first class passengers do not enter the first class section.
This arrangement allows first class to remain truly an exclusive space reserved for a fortunate few. It also provides opportunities for the entrances to the first class section to be designed as “grand entrances” rather than plain thresholds marked only with a curtain.
The invention, together with additional features and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description.